Contributor

Christian Nouboue

Christian Nouboue is a strategy consultant based in Paris who has done several projects in 7+ African countries. Educated in Cameroon, France and Germany, he is passionate about development challenges faced by Sub-Saharan African countries. He is the founder of the Afrikati blog.

“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela, Address at the Planetarium, 16th July 2003

Changing Africa starts with the right mix of talents, capable of addressing local challenges. Hence the need for education to focus on equipping people with skills needed locally. This is all the more critical that Africa has limited financial resources to fix its shortage of talents. So instead of breeding waves of graduates equipped only with theoretical knowledge of no practical use, we should move towards a ‘demand-pull’ approach: Which skills does the country need now and in the future? How can the educational system efficiently deliver them?

“Many small people who in many small places do many small things can alter the face of the world.” - African proverb from the Xhosa (Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho)

Africa has long been associated with negative news, sometimes being portrayed as the “hopeless continent”(1). Today however, I deeply believe that conditions are met for the continent to rise provided that we, Africans, are committed to propel our countries forward. Actually, it is an extraordinary time to be African: after decades of missed opportunities, Africa is, at last, ripe for a development take off.